Massillon Council agrees to add salary cuts to fiscal emergency plan

Monday

A proposal to cut elected officials’ salaries by 10 percent will be included in a revised financial recovery plan.

A proposal to cut elected officials’ salaries by 10 percent will be included in a revised financial recovery plan.

City Council agreed Monday during a work session to place the item in the plan, which aims to get the city back to financial stability and out of fiscal emergency.

Slashing salaries of elected officials could save the city more than $26,000 per year starting in 2016, according to Councilman Ed Lewis, R-Ward 6.

“If we don’t take the first cut, how dare we talk furloughs and more cuts or layoffs (for city employees) down the road if it comes to that,” Lewis said.

City offices impacted by a possible pay cut include the mayor, nine council members and the council president, auditor and city attorney. Council members are paid $7,991.67 per year. The council president earns $8,089.23 a year.

Putting a proposal in the recovery plan does not make the reduction official. Council will have to pass a future ordinance formally authorizing cuts, which, if approved, would start in 2016 and run through 2019.

Councilman Paul Manson, D-at large, said Monday he would vote against an ordinance approving the salary cut.

Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry said she wants to see the proposal in writing before taking a position on the pay reduction idea.

“I haven’t seen that, yet. But you don’t have to put in a cut to give back,” said Catazaro-Perry, noting that she has donated about $5,000 of her salary back to the city since taking office in 2012.

The Massillon Financial Planning and Supervision Commission, the group tasked with steering the city out of fiscal emergency, is slated to decide on a revised recovery plan during its next regular meeting on May 19. Council and the mayor are required to agree on a plan prior to sending it to the group for a vote that day.

A five-year income tax levy is a main revenue component in a proposed recovery plan and is expected to generate about $1.4 million annually to help fund street upgrades and pay for new street department vehicles. Other money from the levy would go into the city’s general fund.

Council is scheduled to further discuss the plan during a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. May 4 in the Massillon Government and Justice Center, 1 James Duncan Plaza SE. That meeting precedes council’s regular meeting, which is slated for 7:30 p.m.

NEW AMBULANCE EN ROUTE?

What could be the first new ambulance purchase by the city in a couple years was discussed Monday by City Council.

A 2015 MeDix ambulance could be en route to the Massillon Fire Department if council approves legislation for its purchase, which totals about $120,625. Money to pay for the vehicle would come out of city’s EMS capital improvement fund, according to Fire Chief Tom Burgasser.

“We’re trying to replace our ambulances on a six-to-eight year bases,” said the chief, noting that the fire department has a total of four ambulances in its fleet.

A new vehicle would replace the department’s 2005 model, which has ongoing maintenance problems, Burgasser said. A few thousand dollars are needed to replace a new transmission and engine gaskets.

First reading on an ordinance for purchase of the ambulance is slated next week.